| Collingswood, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
| — Borough — | |
| Motto: It's Where You Want To Be | |
| Location of Collingswood within Camden County: Inset: Location of Camden County within the State of New Jersey. | |
| Census Bureau map of Collingswood, New Jersey | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Camden |
| Settled | 1682 |
| Incorporated | May 22, 1888 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Walsh Act (New Jersey) |
| • Mayor | Jim Maley (2013)[1] |
| • Administrator | Keith Hastings[2] |
| Area[3] | |
| • Total | 1.92 sq mi (5.0 km2) |
| • Land | 1.83 sq mi (4.7 km2) |
| • Water | 0.09 sq mi (0.2 km2) 4.69% |
| Elevation[4] | 23 ft (7 m) |
| Population (2010 Census)[5] | |
| • Total | 13,926 |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 08107-08108[6] |
| Area code(s) | 856 |
| FIPS code | 34-14260[7][8] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0875561[9] |
| Website | http://www.collingswood.com |
Collingswood is a borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 13,926.[5]
Collingswood was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 22, 1888, from portions of Haddon Township, based on the results of a referendum held that same day.[10]
Formerly part of the Newton Quaker Colony, the borough does not license any establishments to serve or sell alcoholic beverages inside borough limits, a policy that dates back to 1873.[11]
Collingswood is located in the Delaware Valley, 7 miles (11 km) east of Philadelphia and 35 miles (56 km) southwest of Trenton, New Jersey's capitol.
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Collingswood is located at (39.916141, -75.074671).[12]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.92 square miles (5.0 km2), of which, 1.83 square miles (4.7 km2) of it is land and 0.09 square miles (0.23 km2) of it (4.69%) is water.[3]
Collingswood shares land borders with Camden, Haddon Township, Oaklyn, Pennsauken, and Woodlynne.
The Cooper River serves as the Northern border of Collingswood.
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 12,723 |
|
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| 1940 | 12,685 | −0.3% | |
| 1950 | 15,800 | 24.6% | |
| 1960 | 17,370 | 9.9% | |
| 1970 | 17,422 | 0.3% | |
| 1980 | 15,838 | −9.1% | |
| 1990 | 15,289 | −3.5% | |
| 2000 | 14,326 | −6.3% | |
| 2010 | 13,926 | −2.8% | |
| Population sources: 1930-1990[13] 2000[14] 2010[5][15] |
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As of the 2010 Census, Collingswood had a population of 13,926. The median age was 39.0. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 81.8% White, 9.1% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 4.0% some other race and 2.6% reporting two or more races. 9.7% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[15]
As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 14,326 people, 6,263 households, and 3,463 families residing in the borough. The population density was 7,835.2 people per square mile (3,022.6/km2). There were 6,866 housing units at an average density of 3,755.2 per square mile (1,448.6/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 86.47% White, 6.67% African American, 0.34% Native American, 2.76% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.42% from other races, and 1.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.67% of the population.[14]
There were 6,263 households out of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.2% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.7% were non-families. 36.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 3.05.[14]
In the borough the population was spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 32.9% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.[14]
The median income for a household in the borough in 2007 was $43,175, and the median income for a family was $66,038.[16] Males had a median income of $40,423 versus $30,877 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $24,358. About 3.8% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.[14]
Collingswood operates under the Walsh Act commission form of New Jersey municipal government. Three non-partisan commissioners are elected at-large to four-year terms of office. Each commissioner is assigned a specific department to head in addition to their legislative functions.[17] The Borough of Collingswood has operated under the Walsh Act since 1917.[18]
As of 2011[update], Collingswood's commissioners are Mayor Jim Maley, Mike Hall and Joan Leonard.[19]
In September 2011, the borough experienced a "super downgrade" of its credit rating by Moody's, from A1 to Ba1, as a result of an outstanding multi-million dollar loan guaranty to a property developer.[20]
Collingswood is in the 1st Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 6th state legislative district.[21] The legislative district was kept unchanged by the New Jersey Apportionment Commission based on the results of the 2010 Census.[5]
New Jersey's First Congressional District is represented by Rob Andrews (D, Haddon Heights). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
6th District of the New Jersey Legislature, which is represented in the New Jersey Senate by James Beach (D, Voorhees Township) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by Louis Greenwald (D, Voorhees Township) and Pamela Rosen Lampitt (D, Cherry Hill).[22]
Camden County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders, its seven members elected at-large to three-year terms office on a staggered basis, with two or three seats coming up for election each year.[23] As of 2011, Camden County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli, Jr. (Collingswood, term ends December 31, 2011)[24], Freeholder Deputy Director Edward McDonnell (Pennsauken Township, 2013)[25], Riletta L. Cream (Camden, 2011)[26], Rodney A. Greco (Gloucester Township, 2012)[27], Ian K. Leonard (Camden, 2012)[28], Jeffrey L. Nash (Cherry Hill, 2012)[29] and Carmen Rodriguez (Merchantville, 2013).[30][31][32][33]
The Collingswood Public Schools serve students in prekindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[34]) are five elementary schools — Garfield (K-5; 120 students), Newbie (K-5; 151), Sharp (PreK-5; 165), Tatem (PreK-5; 184) and Zane-North (PreK-5; 175) — Collingswood Middle School for grades 6-8 (318) and Collingswood High School for grades 9-12 (807).
Students in grades 9-12 from Woodlynne attend Collingswood High School as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Woodlynne School District. Students in grades 10-12 from Oaklyn attend the high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Oaklyn Public School District.[35]
St. John Regional Catholic School(formerly St. John Catholic School) Now called Good Shepard Regional Catholic School is an elementary school that operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden[36]
Collingswood's retail district is anchored by Haddon Avenue, a section of County Route 561 which runs from Camden to Haddonfield. Collingswood's downtown has over 20 restaurants with a variety of fare including American, Italian, Indian, French, Chinese, Mexican, Brazilian, Japanese, Ecuadorian, and Cuban cuisine.
On Saturdays from May to November, the town hosts a Farmers' Market under the PATCO line, featuring only local produce, baked goods, and crafts.
The American Planning Association has designated Haddon Avenue here as one of its 10 Great Streets for 2009.The group chose the street, which runs through Collingswood's business district, "for the way it melds the past with the present". Collingswood is the first New Jersey community to be cited under the association's Great Places in America program.
Collingswood hosts an annual book festival in October, featuring local, national, and international writers.
Collingswood sponsors a bike share program, a community greenhouse, as well as a composting program to encourage environmental stewardship.
Collingswood's arts community hosts "2nd Saturdays", with the town's art galleries and restaurants hosting new exhibitions by local, national, and international painters, sculptors, and photographers. Collingswood is also home to a growing theater scene, with the Collingswood Community Theatre and the Collingswood Shakespeare Company offering performances throughout the year. The Ballroom and Theater at Collingswood hosts local theatrical productions as well as national recording artists such as Ben Folds and The Beach Boys. Additionally, the borough's annual Collingswood Book Festival brings recognized authors including Camille Paglia and Joshua Piven of the Worst-Case Scenario series. Beginning in 2009, Collingswood hosted a Green Festival to raise awareness of environmental responsibility.
Knight Park and Haddon Avenue are the heart of Collingswood. Knight Park is the home to daytime recreation of the town. It is located across the street from Collingswood High School and it hosts the home games of the high school's sports teams, such as Women's Field Hockey, Lacrosse, baseball and softball. During the Summer months, the borough offers outdoor movies and classical concerts in the park.
Collingswood has a large gay and lesbian community, Mayor Jim Maley was one of a handful of New Jersey mayors to perform midnight Civil Union ceremonies the day New Jersey's Civil Union law took effect in 2006. In 2004, The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote about the borough's "fast growing gay and lesbian community," and the marriage equality organization Garden State Equality's main Southern New Jersey office is in Collingswood.[37] Top Gun star Kelly McGillis married her partner Melanie Leis in Collingswood in 2010, and the couple reside in town.
In 2006, Philadelphia Magazine ranked Collingswood number one in the region for price growth of homes and property. Values were up about 100% over five years.
The Collingswood PATCO Speedline Park and Ride station links the town to Philadelphia by elevated rail. Collingswood is also served by New Jersey Transit bus route 403 to Philadelphia and local routes 450 and 451.[38]
Quakers settled near Newton Creek in the late 17th Century, establishing what was known as the Newton Colony and eventually Newton Township. Much of what is now Collingswood was a farm owned by members of the Collings family during the 18th and 19th Centuries. The 1820s-era house of the Collings family, known as the Collings-Knight house, still stands at the corner of Browning Road and Collings Avenue, shadowed by the Heights of Collingswood apartments. Collingswood incorporated as a separate borough in 1888, leaving Haddon Township. That same year, Edward Collings Knight, a wealthy philanthropist, donated the land that became Knight Park. Knight was a descendant of the Collings family for whom the borough is named.
Collingswood has several historic homes, including the Stokes-Lees mansion, located in the 600 block of Lees Avenue, which dates back to the 18th Century, making it one of the oldest houses in Camden County.
Notable current and former residents of Collingswood include:
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